The bender games
by Team-Edward-Bella-Twihard
Summary: In a world where benders are dominated by Amon and his non bending capitol, the 12 districts of what was once republic city, the 12 districts of new republic are forced to offer one male and one female in the art of survival in the annual bender games when Korra's sister Jinora is called Korra offers herself in Jinora's place, not knowing what kind of struggle awaits her
1. Chapter 1

_Focus! _I think to myself, I shouldn't be practicing bending with the chi blockers nearby but, I hate Amon and his stupid non-bending capitol so much, that I REFUSE to let him take the one thing from me that I love.

I give out a breath and blow a stream of water, fire, and then air into the sky, and then I throw a block of earth at a nearby tree. I'm the avatar!

Not that it matters anymore, ever since Amon attacked republic city, before long even I, I the avatar, fell at his hands. Now all of us are divided up into 12 different districts of what was once Republic city…but now it seems like nothing but a wasteland, most of us would be going hungry if we didn't illegally use our bending to find food. Those that aren't bold enough to use their bending do die, despite what my limited healing abilities can do for them.

"Hey fire cracker! Better watch yourself!" I gasp, but then relax, because no-one else in district twelve, except Mako ever calls me that. He's been my bestfriend for as long as I can remember, we first met in the woods when I accidently flooded his campsite with a wave I'd been working on near the river, we've been inseparable ever since, sometimes I think he thinks of me as more than a friend, but he never mentions the "g" word, and I don't have the guts to mention the "b" word. So I'm happy with things as is.

"You scared me!" I scream playfully as I blast him with a stream of water. "Hey!" he cries indignantly. I try to stifle a laugh, but end up falling to the ground in laughter. Before long he laughs with me.

"Your mother is looking for you. She says it's time to get ready for the reaping." Mako says lowering his voice solemnly.

"Oh…yea, how could I forget." I say dismayed.

The reaping is the event in which one boy and one girl bender from each district between the ages of 12 and 18 are chosen for the bender games, the capitols way of reminding us about the battle that we lost to the chi blockers and Amon.

How could I forget, Jinora had been having nightmares for the last week! She was just now old enough to be entered into the games. I trudged back home to my mother, two sisters Jinora, and Ikki and my brother Meelo. We all solemnly get dressed for the reaping, it's custom that we look our absolute best.

It's still 2 hours before the reaping starts, but Jinora's lower lip is already trembling, something she does when she's scared.

"Jinora." I say softly as I squat to her level and look into her eyes. "There are thousands of names in that jar ok, and lots who have signed up for extra fish and oil, the odds of them choosing you are slim ok, you're going to be ok you understand?" I ask, stroking her cheek. She nods, wiping away the last of her tears. I hug her to me tightly, trying to hide my own tears, which are now dripping into her jet black hair.

I knew the odds were not so much in my favor, there were so many times when I couldn't risk using my bending to find us food, one particular winter when Jinora and Ikki were both down with the flu, I put my name down for fish and oil three times that winter, each time you sign up for fish or oil, your name gets added to that glass bowl an extra five times, so my name was probably in there about 20 times. But for Jinora's sake I wasn't going to let my fear show, I suck in a deep breath, hold my chin high, and join the line of district 12 inhabitants that are making their way to the town square where the reaping is held.

Most of the benders here now, mainly the fire benders use their lightning powers to fuel our electricity, and work in the mines, that's where Mako works. After the big mine explosion ten years earlier that killed Mako's mother and father, I've been nervous about him working there, but it's not like he has a choice, he's got him and his brother to care for.

A few months ago before the reaping we had been sitting in the woods watching the sunset, the thought of running away crossed our minds more than once, but where would we go? And besides I couldn't leave my three siblings or my mother behind, it would've been easy for Mako though, with just him and his brother, but he was horrified at the thought of leaving me, and made me swear to never bring it up again.

We all finally reach the town square. Lin Beifong, one of the few benders who work for Amon, is already at her spot on the stage. We all gather into the square as the Capitol anthem starts to play. The first part of the reaping is a video about the war between Amon and his non-benders and chi blockers and the benders from the very start, up to the point where republic city was forced to surrender, and then there's the part where they mention that as a reminder about the rebellion during the war, and a reminder that we were eventually overthrown by Amon. That each of the 12 tributes of new republic must offer up one female and one male tribute to compete in the art of survival in the annual hunger games.

Lin Beifong starts off with her usual. "Welcome all! To the 74th annual Bender games! And may the odds be ever in your favor! And now, for our tributes, ladies first." Lin makes her way to the glass ball containing the girls' names, and after a bit of digging and fussing with the papers, grabs a strip, pulls it out, and makes her way back to the microphone. "District twelve's female tribute will be….Jinora!" I hear Jinora scream before my mind adds up what's just happened.

_No! Not Jinora! It can't be Jinora! _In my mind I begin to panic! I have to protect her, but what do I do? I see the chi blockers grab her by the arms and drag, a kicking, and screaming Jinora to the stage, I can't watch her go through this!

"N-NO! NOOOO! JINORA!" I push my way through the crowd to the stage and scream, as loud as I can. "I VOLUNTEER! I VOLUNTEER!" the crowd turns, all eyes on me.

I say more calmly. "I volunteer as district twelve's tribute!" "KORRA NO!" Jinora screams, but it's too late, Lin is already congratulating district twelve on having their first volunteer, and the chi blockers are pushing me onto the stage.


	2. Chapter 2

My lips were trembling as I stepped up onto the stage Jinora still crying and screaming, before long Mako had walked up and picked her up comfortingly and took her back to her place in line.

Lin Beifong turned to me. "Now there darling, is there anything you would like to say to the crowd?" she hands me the mic but I have no power to speak, it was as if my fear had consumed me.

After a slight pause Lin continued. "Well then, now for the boys." Lin walks over to the glass ball containing the boys' names, digs around for an exaggerated amount of time, and finally pulls out a name.

After Lin makes her way back to the mic, she unfolds the piece of paper. "And district twelve's male tribute is BOLIN!"

Something inside me snaps, I skip a breath, and my eyes widen. _No! _I thought to myself. Bolin is Mako's brother, he and me were almost as close as me and Mako were, but not quite, Bolin had saved not only me, but my family, numerous amounts of times, me in particular, after the mine explosion after Mako's parents' had died I'd felt like I'd lost a part of my family as well, consumed by my depression I had refused to use my bending to hunt, and thus me and my family had begun to starve, but Bolin had begun hunting for me, and gave me what little cash he and Mako could spare so I could support my family.

_Not him! Anyone, just not Bolin, he'll never make it, He's way too sensitive! _As I was finishing my last thoughts to myself, Bolin had taken his place on the stage; I caught the look of horror on Mako's face as he realized that he now had two people that he dearly cared for going into the hunger games. Half of me wondered which of us he'd be rooting for. Lin returned to her place at the mic. "Here are district twelve's 74th annual hunger games tributes, Korra! And Bolin! May the odds be ever in your favor!"

And with that we're rushed to the justice building by chi blockers and shut up into our own little rooms where we would be awaiting our families to say our goodbyes. Before I knew it Jinora burst into the room, crying hysterically.

"Korra what do you think you're doing! You can't go, Korra you can't go we need you!" she wraps her arms around me tightly, as if she'll never let go, I pick her up, holding her lovingly. Then set her back on the floor and look into her eyes. "I'm gonna win Jinora! I'm gonna win, for you! For you and mom." "You promise?" Jinora asked, beginning to calm down. "I promise, I'm going to win, and when I get back, we'll never have to worry about food or money again!" I say wrapping her in one last hug, the chi blocker pulls her out of the room, next comes Mako.

"Mako, oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, I never thought Bolin…" I started

"Korra you have to promise me something." Mako interrupted.

"Anything!" I respond quickly.

Mako looks at me seriously. "You have to keep your eyes on Bolin for me, please, look after him, teach him everything you know, you have to make sure he can hold his own out there…otherwise…he'll never…he'll never" I embrace him in a hug quickly before he can say anymore. "I'll do all I can Mako I promise! I would never let anyone hurt Bolin, I'm just as much friends with him as I am with you, he's part of my family too!" I assure him.

"I know I'm in no position to ask you for promises, but I mean, I could never even imagine losing Bolin, I mean I could never imagine losing you either, but Bolin." I stop him again before he can finish. "I know, it's the same way I'd feel about Jinora if she were the only part of my family left." Before Mako has a chance to respond though he's quickly pulled away from me by Chi blockers as my next visitor comes.

It's Asami Sato, the daughter of district twelve's mayor Hiroshi Sato, though she was a non-bender, she had joined me and other bender's in their rebellion against Amon, much to her father's chagrin, but despite that me and her were still close friends. "I can't believe you're leaving Korra, what you did for Jinora though, that was so noble of you….Aang would be proud."

Aang was the avatar before me, an airbender. I hadn't had any contact with his spirit since Republic city had been overthrown, I hadn't really had the chance to try to connect to him, but now I knew I'd have to.

"I have something for you, I found it in my father's office." Asami holds out a pin with an airbending symbol on it, it basically represented Aang, the main founder of Republic City back when he was still alive.

"I want you to have it." Asami says quickly, as she pins it to my shirt. "But what about your fath…" "I don't care what my father thinks of me, or of me supporting the bending community, I know it's what my mother would want." Asami interrupted.

Her mother was killed by firebenders, it was one of the main reasons Hiroshi was so against benders. "Thank you." I answer quietly, as chi blockers come in to drag her away too.

My last visitor before me and Bolin will be whisked away via train to the capitol is my mother. At first she just stands there, her lip begins to tremble and she bursts into tears as she embraces me. "Korra…I…I don't even know what to say, you've held this family together so well! And taking your sister's place, you must be the most un-selfish person I've ever met in my life, whether you win this thing or not…I'm SO proud of you! And nothing, not even the capitol, can ever take that away from me."

I embrace my mother, as the tears begin to start again I whisper into her ear. "I WILL win! And if I fail at least I would have tried my hardest." "Please don't even talk about failing! I couldn't bear the thought!" mother exclaimed. I shush her, we just stand there, embracing each other, crying, until the chi blocker raps on the door loudly.

"Visiting hour is over! Come, it's time to board the train!" before I can object, mom is being whisked out the door, and I'm being forced down a hallway, along with Bolin, to the trains, neither me or Bolin say a word.


	3. Chapter 3

**i want to thank those of you who leave reviews and also for favoriting and following the story too but if you take the time to favorite and or follow PLEASE leave at least a short review, i'd really appreciate it, and it lets me know i should continue a story.**

After what seems like a walk around the world, Bolin, the team of peace keepers and capitol members, and I, finally reach the train. We are left alone to rest, we each have our own room, and I enter mine quietly without a word, trying to sum up what's happened today.

_They called Jinora, they were going to take her away to her death, away from me, I volunteered in her place, because I have an advantage, she can only bend air, whereas I can bend air, water, earth, AND fire. They called Bolin, one of my best friends, who loved me the way I loved Mako, Mako's brother, Mako made me promise to keep him alive as long as I can, but that means I'LL have to be the one that kills him, if I make it that long…can I do that? Can I kill my best friend?_

Suddenly my door slides open, Bolin peeks his head in. "Are you um, busy?" I look at him sarcastically. "Yea you know my schedule is just, booked, maybe I can squeeze you in, sometime though."

He takes this as a welcoming and walks in sitting on my bed. "What you did for Jinora, it was so amazing, and noble…and one of the many things I love about you, that you're so selfless."

He looks at me, that look in his eyes that I saw long ago when we first met…when I first came to republic city…before we were overthrown by Amon. "Just…don't" I say. "Don't what?" he asks, genuinely confused. "Don't you dare use the L word…not now…we have to remain as detached as possible…it'll just make the games harder than they already are."

"I wasn't using it that way." Bolin replies back, sounding slightly hurt. "But I get it." He pauses for a moment. "Hey, on the plus side, when you win this game, the love triangle will be broken….you won't have to worry about me interrupting your love life again." I smile in spite of the comment. "There's that smile that won me over from day one." He exclaims grinning back at me.

I pause for a while. "Bolin what makes you so sure it'll be me who wins?" Bolin looks at me puzzled. "You can't possibly think any of the others will have any advantage on you…and I wouldn't let you die for me…the world needs the avatar worse than it needs me." Bolin replied back. "What if I don't let you sacrifice yourself for me?" I ask back. "And what if I don't give you a choice?" Bolin asks back, and with that he leaves the room. It was an open ended question…but I knew what he meant. He basically told me he'd kill himself the first chance there was of me winning the games.

I lay back in bed trying to forget about that thought, before long though Lin Beifong is knocking on my door. "Ms. Avatar! It's dinner time now time to meet your mentor, come now!"

I roll my eyes and grudgingly get out of the safety of my bed and make my way to the dining car. I'm late; I can see that instantly, for the rest of our team, Bolin, and someone I've never met before with a brown beard, bald head, and an arrow tattoo on his head. Are already seated.

Lin spots me and pats at an empty seat between her and Bolin. "Here you are dearie, right over here!" she calls in her sickly sweet voice. I take my seat reluctantly, eyeing the man with the arrow tattoo nervously.

"Welcome Bolin, Welcome Avatar Korra, this is your mentor, and previous hunger games winner, Tenzin." Me and Bolin both nod respectfully at Tenzin. When suddenly something hits me, the arrow tattoos, of course! "You're an airbender!" I exclaim, I see that this exclamation pleases the man as he smiles and nods. "Yes, one of the few who are left."

I lower my head sadly. "Just like my sister Ikki and brother Meelo, and my sister Jinora…she would be here in my place if I hadn't volunteered in her place…I couldn't let them put her in these games, she's so young, and frail…and she's one of the few airbenders left."

Tenzin pats my hand comfortingly. "What you did for your sister was very noble…and from one airbender to the avatar, thank you, for trying to preserve our population."

"So what about the games?" Bolin interrupts. "What advice do you have for us?" there's a slight pause. "Young man, it is not polite, nor proper to interrupt a lady when she's speaking, much less if she's a tribute, and much much less if she's the avatar…besides, there's quite enough time for prep and training once we reach the capitol, for now, let's eat!" Tenzin exclaims.

As he says this two servers bring out carts of food. My eyes lite up hungrily, I hadn't seen this much food since the fall of republic city, all of it looked so good, and there was so much of it, and no-one to tell me I couldn't have it, I easily helped myself to a little bit of everything.

Later however I regretted it, for so long I'd been deprived of foods such as this, and it wasn't settling well with my stomach at all. "Uh…I think I need to be excused!" I exclaim as I feel my dinner rising. I quickly grasp my stomach and run for the nearest rest room.


	4. Chapter 4

**want to thank everyone for the positive feed back follows favorites and reviews, please keep them coming, ok before you all read this chapter i must warn you it didn't turn out AT ALL as i had envisioned its very touchy feely so forgive me lol i'm probably moving this along a little fast, i'll try to slow it down though don't worry, but let me guys know what you think, if you like it that's awesome, please review****!**

I'm sitting in one of the main restrooms, I stopped losing my lunch a long time ago, but I sit by the toilet just in case…thinking, about Bolin mainly, how he was willing to sacrifice himself so I would win…not knowing about the promise I'd made to Mako, I didn't know what I was going to do.

I'd made too many promises today, I promised my mother and Jinora that I'd win, but I'd promised Mako I'd keep Bolin alive…so unless someone else kills Bolin without my knowledge, I'd have to kill myself to let him win…or do I kill Bolin and keep my promise to Jinora and my mother? I mean how angry would Mako stay at me for not protecting Bolin, I mean I know he loves his brother…but what would life be like for him back in district 12 without me? I wonder, I know it's a selfish thought.

Suddenly there's a tap at the door. "Who is it?" I call out. "Bolin, Korra are you ok?" he peeks his head in the door. I smile up at him "I'm fine." But suddenly I don't feel fine, as another portion of my lunch makes its way back upstream. Bolin instinctively grabs my hair, pulling it out of my face as I lose the last bit of my lunch into the toilet. "If you haven't noticed already you have to be careful with this fancy Capitol food, it's much more filling and much richer than anything we eat at home." "Yea, now you tell me." I croak weakly, Bolin hands me a cup of water I take it hastily, sucking all of it down in one gulp. "So much for lunch." I grumble, we both laugh.

I pause for a minute…better to get the confession out of the water now, than later. "Bolin?" "Yea?" he asks. "What would you say if I'd made a promise to Mako to keep you alive?" Bolin pauses for a minute…not sure how he's going to answer. "Don't keep it Korra, he'd miss you…I know by the way he talks about you that life without you would be unbearable for him, I mean I know he loves me, and he wants to take care of me…but he REALLY loves you Korra." He pauses slightly.

"Plus, you have your Mother and Jinora and the rest of your siblings to care for….it'd be easier for Mako if he didn't have to care for me anymore." He said sadly. "Bolin don't say that! Mako loves you." Bolin looks at me with a sense of seriousness in his eyes I've never seen before. "Korra let's just face the fact right now, you're much more adapted to fighting than I ever will be, if either of us wins…we all know who it's going to be." Without another word he leaves the bathroom.

I had to admit to myself…that stung, and it was so unlike Bolin to burst at me like that…was what he said about Mako true? If so then Mako must hold me at much higher standards than I'd previously thought…which made me want to protect Bolin even more…I wanted to protect him from the whole world, not just from Amon and his stupid game.

I walked through train car after train car until I came to Bolin's room, I tapped on it lightly. "Bolin?" when no-one comes right away I'm about to leave, until I hear the door slide open. Without a pause and without a warning I grabbed his face in my hands and looked at him as sternly as I could and said as seriously as I could.

"Bolin, listen to me now, I'm making it my job to train you and teach you all I know about earth bending, when the games come we'll let what happens happen, but I'm keeping my promise to Mako, I'm going to get you as far into this game as I can…and then what you decide to do is up to you, but don't think about me, don't think about my family. Bolin for heaven's sake, think about you for once, what YOU want…not what Mako wants, if you want to win and go home…I'm dead! Do you understand me."

But before he can reply back I leave and head back to my room, passing Tenzin on the way who stops me. "Are you ok?" he asks. "I'm fine…physically anyway." He nods in understanding…of course he'd understand what the games put a tribute through…he's been there…suddenly I wonder.

"Tenzin…can I ask you a question?" Tenzin pauses a moment as if contemplating. "What is it?" he asks. "Did you…back when you were in the games, feel like you made too many promises…maybe ones that contrasted each other?" "Korra what did you say back in 12?" he asks worriedly. "I promised my sister and mother I'd win…but then I kinda promised Bolin's brother I'd help him too…I can't do both…can I?" Tenzin looks at me for a bit. "All I can tell you, is that your heart speaks louder than any human on this planet…in the end it's always best to listen to what your heart is telling you, when the time comes, listen, it'll tell you what you should do." And with that he's heading back to his car where his room is.

Suddenly what Tenzin said made me realize why I was having a hard time letting Bolin go…something inside was screaming at me…but what was it?


	5. Chapter 5

**ok i know i haven't uploaded a chapter to this story in like four months, that's because i was going to give up on it since i hadn't gotten much feedback, but i'm actually pretty proud of how this story is going so far so i'd like to keep writing, and i thought about those who do like the story who have reviewed, they deserved to see it so here you guys go! please review! i really do appreciate it! second season of korra should premiere sometime this year! who's excited? I AM! and sorry for you makorra shippers, this story is going to lean towards the borra side a little bit, i'm a bit of a borra shipper myself, though i still also ship makorra...i'm confused too lol but anyway ENJOY!**

Later that night I was sleeping fitfully, I was having what appeared to be a nightmare, but it had a sense of déjà vu.

Suddenly I realized why.

Back before the fall of Republic City when Amon and his chi blockers first started their rally for equality, Bolin had gotten tangled with the triple threats, who had been captured by Amon, he'd planned on taking their bending away; Mako and I were able to save Bolin, however, before Amon had gotten to him.

but this nightmare, was going slightly differently, Bolin was on his knees in front of Amon, I gasped as I watched in horror as Amon took away Bolin's powers, but then the nightmare took a turn for the worse as I watched Bolin get killed by a fire bender who had seemed to come out of no-where. Suddenly I thought I heard him call my name. "Korra!" I heard it again a few seconds later, and jolted awake.

"Korra! Are you ok? You were screaming, I came to check on you." I looked up seeing Bolin hovering over me, I quickly sprang out of bed throwing my arms around him.

"Bolin! You're ok!" I exclaimed. I let go, "wait…you still have your bending right? Amon didn't take it away did he?" I ask all at once.

Bolin laughed. "Yes, I still have my bending, otherwise I don't think I'd be cut out for the bender games." He grinned, but then his eyebrows furrowed worriedly. "What exactly was your dream about?" he asked.

"Well, do you remember when you got tangled with those triple threats, and the chi blockers caught you guys and Amon almost took your bending away?" I ask. "How could I forget, if it hadn't been for you, and Mako of course, I would have been a goner!" he paused slightly. "That was so long ago." He whispered almost inaudibly.

"I know." I replied. "Look what's become of republic city since then."

I paused slightly.

*** Bolin's p.o.v***

She was silent for some time, but suddenly she looked up at me with her big blue eyes that trapped me in their glance every time she looked at me and said quietly.

"Bolin…I don't know how we're going to do it, but we're going to survive the games…together."

"How do we plan on doing that…there can be only one victor, Korra, you know that."

"I DON'T CARE!" she yelled quietly.

"I'm tired of Amon and his STUPID game and his STUPID rules, what's he going to do if we refuse to kill each other? The worst he can do is have his stupid game creators try to kill us, we've overcome so much more than anything they can throw at us…think about it Bolin, for a while we had the tides of the war turned in our favor." She said passionately.

"All the more reason for Amon to hate us…and do everything he can to make sure there's only one victor…which will be you Korra." I replied quietly, patting her on the shoulder awkwardly and leaving the room.

***Korra's p.o.v***

I looked after him solemnly as he left, he did have a point, why would Amon even consider changing the rules of his game to spare us…we almost crushed his dream of equality.

I groaned at myself angrily.

Why couldn't I just let him go? He was right anyway, there could only be one victor, I know I had promised Mako…but I did have my family to think about…they would never make it without me.

As I fluffed my pillow back up and lay down again, as my head hit the pillow, a thought suddenly struck me, and suddenly I knew why I couldn't just let Bolin go.

DID I LOVE HIM?


End file.
